Whatcom County Charter Amendment No. 1 Salary Commission Submitted by the Whatcom County Council

Whatcom Watch was unable to find anyone willing to write a 600 words article in support of the salary commission.

Whatcom County voters have strong opinions regarding potential salary increases for elected County officials, such as the County Council and the County Executive. They want their opinions to be heard. Therefore, the public’s interest is best served when those making salary determinations remain accountable to the public. Because a salary commission would reduce the public’s right to be heard, the public should vote no on the ballot proposal to amend the County Charter.

Salaries are currently determined by County Council members, who, as elected officials, are chosen by and inherently accountable to the public. The salary commission would be comprised of appointed citizens who have no legal requirement or incentive to consider public opinion. Moreover, the decision of the salary commission is final, without any review or approval process. This is contrary to our belief in governmental checks and balances.

The only right that would be retained by the public is the right to referendum, making public process, as a practical matter, nonexistent. The salary commission may exercise discretion and allow public comment, but this is not an enforceable right. Currently, the public has the right to address Council on any topic at the open session portion of Council meetings.

So why does the proponent of this amendment assert it will increase public participation and transparency? These claims are, at least in part, an attempt to disguise the proposal’s primary goal, which is to increase the County Council’s salary. The proponent is aware that if asked directly, the voters are unlikely to approve a salary increase. This was revealed when the proponent left a voice message for the County Executive, which was released pursuant to a public record request.

The public deserves to be told the truth about the purpose for an amendment to the County Charter. Without this information, the public is being asked to vote on a proposal without full knowledge of the ramifications. By withholding his true intentions, the proponent has tainted the amendment.

Equally troubling, the proposal does not address important procedural issues. How will the salary commission operate once appointed? Will they follow a parliamentary authority in making motions and reaching decisions? Must the salary commission follow any substantive guidelines in setting salaries, beyond state minimum compensation requirements? Who provides information to the salary commission, such as the data that will be used in making comparisons between County positions and private sector jobs?

There has been no discussion regarding the costs associated with a salary commission, or the source of funding. Given our current economic climate, this is an important consideration. It is unwise to incur additional costs for a matter that is already being handled by the County Council.

The unresolved questions surrounding this proposal indicate that it has been placed on the ballot both prematurely and for misleading reasons. Amendments to the Whatcom County Charter should be based on clear and open intentions and receive thoughtful, thorough consideration. An alternative and better approach would be to reconsider this issue during the upcoming County Charter review.

I strongly urge the public to vote no on this proposal.

Statement prepared by:

Wendy Harris is retired and lives in Bellingham.